Chapter 164

Third Person POV.

“I'm surprised, Giovanni. I honestly didn't think you would ask us to talk, seeing how you made it your mission to avoid me whenever you stayed at your parents',” Amber said, still surprised that Giovanni had asked her to meet out of the blue.

Giovanni furrowed his brows in confusion, staring back at Amber like she had lost her mind. “Don’t flatter yourself by thinking I was trying to avoid you, Amber. I avoid everyone, so you're not special,” he responded.

Amber scoffed. “If you say so. Now, may I know why you suddenly asked to meet? Did you call me to apologize to me now that you're going back to the Netherlands?”

“Remember when you asked me why no one in the family did anything to Kayden after we all found out about the situation between him and Richard?” he asked suddenly, taking Amber by surprise.

She didn't think she would ever hear him talking about it again, seeing how he had reacted the first time she asked him, but she was certainly grateful that he had brought it up first and would finally tell her.

“Yes, I remember asking. Do you finally want to tell me what happened?” she questioned.

“Since I only have about half an hour to spare before getting on the plane, and there's a chance you won't be seeing me again for a really long time, I feel like it's my duty to explain to you why we all left Richard to deal with Kayden on his own, so you don't end up thinking my family and I don't care about your husband,” he responded, almost like he was offended by the mere thought.

Amber stared back at him skeptically before responding. “And what is the reason?”

“Well, we didn't want him to end up like Giorgia, so we let him be,” he stated, immediately piquing Amber's interest. “Sorry to bring this up, but even after the incident with your mother, my family and I didn't know how bad the relationship between Kayden and Richard was. All my parents thought after the incident was that Kayden was a terrible influence on Richard, so they simply transferred him to a different school, thinking that would be enough to get Richard away from that idiot.”

“It wasn't until they were almost done with high school that we realized how bad it was. By then, Richard was 17, and Kayden was in his final year of high school. I was the one who found Richard's badly beaten body at a party, and...” Giovanni paused, controlling the anger he felt all over at the memory of how he had found his brother.

Amber could tell from how Gio clenched his fists that he was upset, and she also felt extremely upset just imagining how terribly Richard had suffered in Kayden's hands.

“Kayden and his friends had trampled on Richard; in their words, they had used my little brother as a doormat and kicked him till he lost consciousness. Since Kayden was over eighteen, my parents wanted to send him to jail for assault, but Richard didn't want that to happen, and he threatened to kill himself if we blew things up,” Giovanni continued to explain.

“Let me guess; he was afraid, right?”

“And embarrassed. He told us that everyone at his school already looked at him like the fat pitiful kid, who was nothing but easy prey for bullies, and he didn't want everyone in the country to find out he was getting bullied and look at him with pity as well. Let's just say that was the first mistake we all made. We should have thrown him in jail when we had the chance.

“Fast forward, Richard decided to forget about everything with Kayden, and he told us to do the same. The nice kid didn't want any problems, so he didn't try to take revenge, but unfortunately, Kayden struck again, and this time, it was with naive Giorgia. He used her to get at Richard since he could no longer directly hurt him, and when Giorgia killed herself, Richard lost it,” he added.

“He blamed himself to the point where we all thought he would end up dying alongside Giorgia. And that was when his obsession with wanting to get back at Kayden started. Dad wanted to send Kayden to jail, and he could have, but when we realized that getting back at Kayden had become Richard's only purpose in life, we couldn't do anything. Do you know what Richard's plan was after getting rid of Kayden?” Giovanni asked.

“What is it?” Amber asked quietly, afraid that she would hear something she didn't like.

“In his words, after giving Kayden the ending he deserved, he would join Giorgia because he felt guilty about being alive while she was dead. In other words, I would have lost two siblings if my parents, myself, or Elena had interfered much sooner. What we didn't allow were situations where Kayden would physically hurt Richard, but we made sure not to get involved directly because we wanted Richard to get the rage out of his system on his own,” Giovanni explained. “Thankfully, that hatred led him to you, and when Elena realized that Richard now had a new reason to live, which was you, that was when she decided to get involved directly. So, that's it, Amber. We were cowards, and you saved my brother.”

Amber sighed as she took in his words. “Your brother also saved my life, and I'm grateful for him. And believe it or not, I'm really grateful that you told me this. You weren't obligated to, but you did regardless, and I appreciate it,” she said to Gio, genuinely thankful that despite his nasty attitude, he was kind enough to answer her question.

“Take care of yourself, Amber, and thank you for being in his life. At least now I don't have to feel sorry about not being in his life like he wants me to,” he said.

She scoffed. “I'm pretty sure staying around longer isn't going to kill you, Giovanni. I mean, Martha is just barely out of surgery, and you're already leaving.”

Giovanni smiled, even though his smile didn't reach his eyes. “She'll survive without me; I'm sure of it,” he simply responded before getting up from where he was seated.

Amber noticed that he had stamped his left leg on the ground when he stood up, and she could have sworn that she saw a strained expression on his face for a split second, but before she could register it, it had been replaced with his usual cold expression.

“Be good, kid.” Those were Giovanni's last words to her before walking away while still repeatedly stamping his left leg on the ground.

***

A year later...

Laughter filled the Vitali house as the family gathered for a weekend reunion, brought together by Sofia Vitale.

Meanwhile, Amber stood in front of the children's room, a smile plastered on her face as she engaged in a lighthearted banter with Bianca.

She watched as Richard and Stefano, Bianca's husband, tried their hardest to put the children to sleep so that they could join them downstairs for dinner. The room echoed with lullabies sung by Richard to put the triplets to sleep, while Stefano playfully juggled his twin boys, eliciting playful laughter from the little ones, who seemed more awake than ever.

Bianca and Amber had both given birth around seven months ago, with Bianca giving birth to her twin boys a week before Amber's triplets—two girls and a boy.

Amber's gaze fixed on Richard as he took turns soothing their three sleepy angels, and she chuckled softly, leaning closer to Bianca. "Should we help them?" she asked her sister, who was obviously enjoying this more than she was.

"I mean, you can, if you want to. But Stefano knows better than to ask me for help when it's his turn to watch the kids," she replied, seeming completely unbothered.

Just as the men seemed to be making headway with their little ones, Nonna appeared in the doorway, her presence commanding attention. With a raised eyebrow, she surveyed the scene before her, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"What's taking you both so long?" Nonna asked.

Amber chuckled, nodding towards Richard and Stefano. "We're just waiting for these two to finish up with the kids, so they can join us," she explains. "I think they're getting there.”

Nonna let out a soft chuckle and rolled her eyes playfully before turning her attention back to Amber and Bianca. "Leave them to it, my dear," she said. "We'll save some food for them. Now, join us at the table. It's time for dinner."

After a few minutes, Richard and Stefano finally took their seats at the dining table, welcomed by the rest of the family, who had already started without them.

Martha, Raymond, Elena and her wife Alyssa, Bianca's son Pietro, and a few other extended family members were all present at the table, laughing at Nonna and Elena's endless back and forth.

Amber turned towards Richard, a playful glint in her eyes as she asked about the triplets. Richard let out a weary sigh. His unsuccessful attempts to put the triplets to sleep were evident in his weary expression. "No luck," he admitted. "The nanny is with them for now. Hopefully, they'll fall asleep soon."

Amber rolled her eyes playfully, not surprised by Richard's admission.

As the family engaged in lively conversation, Elena's voice suddenly cut through the chatty atmosphere, and all eyes turned towards her. "Amber, Richard, I have some good news, but if you're interested in hearing it," she declared.

Richard, instinctively skeptical of Elena's concept of "good news," interjected before she could continue. "I think I'll pass on hearing it," he said, his tone laced with a hint of mild annoyance.

Amber, however, leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. She countered Richard's hesitance with a smile. "I'd actually like to hear it, Elena. What is this good news you have?"

Elena's smile widened. "Well, Kayden's condition has gotten a lot worse, and since his mother can't afford the treatment anymore, I hear that she's considering pulling the plug on him," she revealed, her voice laced with a twisted delight.

Amber's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could react, Martha snapped her hand against the table, her voice cutting through the air with an icy tone. "Elena, haven't I made it clear that the mention of that name is strictly forbidden, especially anywhere around me?"

Elena's smile faded. She nodded. "I apologize, Mother. It won't happen again," she said, not wanting her mother to go off on her, especially not in front of her wife.

“Better. And you two better not think about that idiot as well. If he dies, it has nothing to do with you. Have I made myself clear?” Martha directed her question at Amber and Richard, and they both nodded in understanding.

Richard stood outside the house with several thoughts going through his mind. Lost in his thoughts, he was interrupted by the soft footsteps of Amber approaching.

Amber's voice broke the silence, her concern evident in her words. "What are you doing out here, Richard?"

Richard let out a deep sigh before responding. "Just getting some fresh air."

Amber nodded knowingly, sidestepping his half-truth with a playful remark. "Liar," she teased, her voice carrying a gentle undertone. She walked closer to him, offering a gentle touch on his arm, her eyes gazing into his. "You're thinking about Kayden, aren't you?"

He paused, knowing that Amber saw through him, and lowered his gaze. "Alright, maybe I was thinking about Kayden," he admitted.

"I just can't believe it, babe," he confessed. "To think that he's now paralyzed, unable to move or speak, still shocks me anytime I think about it."

Amber simply shrugged, her face reflecting a sense of indifference. She looked at him, her eyes meeting his with a determined gaze. "He got what he deserved," she stated bluntly, her voice carrying an unmistakable tone of satisfaction. "Our lives are at peace now, Richard. You don't need to worry about someone like Kayden ever again."

A warm smile tugged at Richard's lips, and he nodded in agreement. "You're right, sweetheart," he acknowledged. "I'm glad that chapter of our lives is behind us, and I shouldn't be bothered about him."

“Exactly! Like your mother said, whatever happens to him has nothing to do with us anymore,” Amber said.

He smiled, leaned in, and captured her lips in a quick kiss before his confession slipped out. "I love you, cutie," he whispered.

Amber blushed, her eyes sparkling with affection. "I love you more," she replied, her voice filled with tenderness.

She playfully tugged at Richard's arm, a mischievous smile on her face. "Now, let's not keep Nonna waiting. We should head back inside before she comes looking for us herself."

Richard chuckled, his spirits lifted by Amber's presence. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before turning towards the house, ready to join their family once again.

The End.